The Freedom of Being a Bad Writer

One of the good things about being a bad writer is, as previously discussed, very few people will read you, now and make comments that will distress and discourage you, so that your words may be preserved for posterity (also previously discussed). Thus the following……

First manned flight

It is normally assumed that….

Wright Brothers- made the first sustained, controlled, powered heavier-than-air manned flight at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, four miles (8 km) south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903. (3 flights between 120 & 200 feet)

But…..

A journal named an August 1901 flight by Connecticut aviation pioneer Gustave Whitehead as the first successful powered flight in history, beating the Wright Brothers by more than two years. (Also there’s no filmed evidence; only a newspaper article and as we know newspapers aren’t always accurate- but I suppose the journal in the spirit of solidarity with another published journal of 1901 felt inclined to make that statement)

And some will point out….

On Oct. 15, 1783, the Montgolfiers brothers launched a balloon on a tether with Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, a chemistry and physics teacher, as the passenger. In that era, nobody knew if a person could withstand the rigors of being up in the air…I have to asked, therefore was Jean-Francois a willing passenger or was he knocked over the head, tied up and dumped in the basket…maybe in previous years he had marked down a young Montgolfier’s homework

While others great really het-up about the Wright Brothers …(quote from a website)

“The Wright Brothers’ achievement is sometimes erroneously (emotive word-obviously someone has strong feelings on the subject) “the first powered flight.” Even that’s disputed. (wow!-hang on folks here it comes….) The first powered flight was Henri Giffard’s steam-powered airship (image below) in 1852. On Sept. 24, 1852, Giffard traveled almost 17 miles (27 kilometers) from Paris to Trappes moving at about 6 miles per hour (10 kilometers/hour). His airship could be steered only in calm weather though. In wind, it could fly only in slow circles.”

(yeh fair comment on the flight bit, but suppose you did not want to fly in circles-it’s hardly a commercial prospect, or a good sound basis for lambasting the Wrights who at least went in a straight line in rough December weather)

And apparently Clément Ader went half the length of a football field (I cannot confirm if this was a European soccer field or an American Football field) on a bat-winged setup that many view as the first manned, powered, heavier-than-air flight in 1890. (well that might have an attraction in Gotham City….)….and it should be pointed out he claimed he flew 330 feet, doesn’t seem anyone was interested- you’d have thought someone would have noticed a bat winged craft somewhere above the roof tops of Paris.

Well that’s all very interesting but no one ever takes into account any folk who (for one reason or another) made tremendous leaps from one high place to another, or in some cases attempts at leaps from one high place to another. I mean, after all it is moving through the air, and not touching the ground, unless of course they didn’t quite reach where they were intending to go, but that’s just being picky if you ask me.

And there was an intention to move through the air from one point to another, while a leap is a sort of power.

So if you ask me, (again, that is assuming someone is reading this) these claims have to be put in an historical perspective, and as with so many cases in history, the matter is open to interpretation.

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Published by Woebegone but Hopeful

I have been writing for 30+ years and until I started taking seriously all the advice and support from Word Press had badly written and self-published a fantasy trilogy with nothing to show for it, except for a mention on Amazon.
That was all written back in July(ish) 2015 when I was in one of comedic/ironic phases. Since coming under the more maturing, positive, adventurous and productive influences of the Wordpress Community I have tried to work outside of that bubble.
Since that hapless daze I have published through Amazon Kindle 'A True History of The Isles' ' (a history of the Isles Ireland, Scotland Wales & England) Vol I & II which is less than serious and 'Of Patchwork Warriors' first volume of a multi-volume Fantasy. All three has sold copies. This is far beyond my dreams.
After these few years I have decided to separate my 'bolggings' heroicallybad will continue to be dealing with writing in all its manifold facets. I will continue to support folk in their own efforts.
My intention is to write until I am summoned from this World Physical, while I am still physically on the planet I will encourage others to write. Not subscribing to any sort of publishing conventions my advice on that subject is not the best.
Well into my 60s I've hit my writing stride!
However as I am something of a ranter and given to polemics there is another blog Raging from the Lectern, this is ferocious and I don't care who I upset, the world is growing tight on resources and space, we have no room for idiots of any sort, they are my target. No apologies!
View all posts by Woebegone but Hopeful